1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a centrifuge which has a truncated-cone-like separating screen arranged in a support basket and held in the bottom thereof by a lower flange.
2. Description of the Related Art
A centrifuge of the type indicated above is known through EP 1400284. It is used as an apparatus for filtering by centrifugation in order to separate a solid from a liquid and, more particularly, in order to separate sugar crystals from syrup in a conventional sugar refining process. The truncated-cone-like separating screen or strainer covers the truncated-cone-like interior wall of the support basket.
The screen is made up of a number of essentially trapezoidal segments which are assembled by welding. The welding of these segments requires much time and frequent checking of the weld points of the screen during use of the centrifuge. Furthermore, the materials used for executing the welds can be detrimental to the quality of filtered products for food use. Additionally, assembly of the screen segments by welding precludes replacement of an individual segment of the screen.
Furthermore, maintaining the separating screen in the basket requires the presence of a stop in the form of an annular bar welded on the interior periphery of the screen supporting the lower flange which presses the screen against the basket, which is expensive to implement.